Senator Jose R. Peralta is one of three independent Senate Democrats who have received tens of thousands in stipends for committee roles others have actually held.CreditCreditNathaniel Brooks for The New York Times

ALBANY — Staff members of the Republican-led Senate have repeatedly sent false information to the state comptroller’s office that allowed tens of thousands of dollars in payments to three renegade Democratic senators who are allies of the Senate Republicans.

The information — certifying Senators Diane J. Savino, Jose R. Peralta and David J. Valesky as committee leaders, despite Republicans holding those roles — was included in emails sent over three years to the comptroller’s office from the Senate payroll office. The emails were obtained through a freedom of information law request on Thursday.

Mr. Peralta of Queens, Ms. Savino of Staten Island, and Mr. Valesky of Syracuse are all second in command of Senate committees, and are all members of the Independent Democratic Conference, a breakaway group of eight Democrats who have partnered with Republicans to control that chamber for the last six years.

As a result of their arrangement with the Republicans, the conference has garnered perks like larger staffs and stipends for committee chairmanships, which are authorized by state Legislative Law 5-a. But that law makes no mention of stipends for Senate committee vice chairmen and vice chairwomen, like the three independent Democrats.

The Independent Democratic Conference has maintained such payments are allowed by a clause that allows payment for service in any “special capacity therein or directly connected therewith,” though the law lays out exact dollar amounts payable to leaders in other positions.

In at least three cases — in 2015, 2016 and March of this year — Senate payroll officials have sent certified lists identifying the three senators as leaders of their respective committees. In 2015 and 2016, two documents identified Mr. Valesky as chairman of the Health Committee, requesting two payments totaling $7,500. He received the stipends, though he was and remains the committee’s vice chairman.

Earlier this year, Ms. Savino was made vice chairwoman of the Codes Committee by the independent Democrats’ leader, Senator Jeffrey D. Klein, who represents parts of the Bronx and Westchester County. Mr. Peralta, who defected to the conference from the minority Democrats in January, was made vice chairman of the Energy and Telecommunications Committee on March 7.

Two weeks after that, a member of the Senate payroll staff sent an email to the comptroller’s office with a “Senate certification” of members’ owed stipends, and a request that checks be sent out in early April. A list that was attached identified Mr. Peralta as the chairman of the energy committee, and Ms. Savino as the Codes Committee chairwoman, asking for payments of $9,375 to Mr. Peralta and $13,500 to Ms. Savino.

Both amounts were paid in early April, as were smaller stipends in March. In total, Mr. Savino and Ms. Peralta received $30,500 this year, before taxes, for positions they did not hold. The same holds true for Mr. Valesky, who received $30,000 in gross pay for the stipends in 2015 and 2016.

The state comptroller’s office declined to comment.

Committee chairmanships are mostly handed out by John J. Flanagan, the Long Island Republican who leads the Senate with Mr. Klein, the head of the independent Democrats. Mr. Klein has also named several of his members as committee leaders.

State law prohibits knowingly presenting false documents to any public official or agency, a charge technically known as “offering a false instrument.” If there is intent to defraud, such an action may be considered a felony; otherwise it is a misdemeanor.

It is unclear who drafted the documents incorrectly stating the chairmanships, which are held by Republicans. Senator Joseph Griffo of Rome, N.Y., leads the energy committee; Kemp Hannon, of Long Island, leads the Health Committee; and Senator Andrew J. Lanza of Staten Island is in charge of the Codes Committee. Lawmakers can receive only one stipend and all three men receive higher stipends for Republican leadership positions.

Emails to the payroll official, David Natoli, who sent the information to the comptroller’s office, were not returned.

Scott Reif, a spokesman for the Republican majority, said that records were submitted by Senate payroll. “We maintain that everything was done is what is allowed under the law,” he said.

Candice Giove, a spokeswoman for the independent Democrats, said that “all allowances are paid out and certified by the state comptroller, in accordance with the law.

“Neither Independent Democratic Conference Leader Klein,” Ms. Giove continued, “nor any other senator in his conference is involved in the filing of allowances, which is clearly spelled out in statute.”

The payments to the three Democrats have offered a window into the Senate’s de facto bonus system of stipends, known as “lulus.” Almost every one of the 63 members of the Senate receives a stipend for their roles on committees, ranging from the leader of the Finance Committee (who earns $34,000 extra annually) to lower-ranking members of groups concerned with issues like aging, elections and agriculture. Many of those stipends pay $9,000 a year.

The rise of the Independent Democratic Conference and its partnership with the Republicans has been a continuing source of frustration for mainline Democrats — led by Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins of Westchester County — who have been sidelined in a minority role despite having roughly three times as many members as Mr. Klein’s group.

On Thursday, those traditional Democrats seemed eager to know more. “The more we learn about this,” said Mike Murphy, a spokesman for the Senate Democratic Conference. “The more disturbing it gets.”

Correction:

An earlier version of this article misstated the area in which Senator Joseph Griffo resides. He lives in Rome, N.Y., not Long Island.

Alain Delaquérière contributed research.

A version of this article appears in print on , on Page A26 of the New York edition with the headline: False Payroll Information Allows 3 Senators to Collect Stipends. Order Reprints | Today’s Paper | Subscribe